Pete - if this offensive slump continues, do you see this having an impact on 2010 (the supposed "run at .500" season) if everyone on offense is going to be pretty much the same?

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Pete's reply: That's a strange hypothetical, because I've never seen a slump like this last forever. They'll snap out of it in the next few days. I guarantee it.

Pete,

Gotta ask about the $11 crab pretzel since I'm not in the area to find out myself. Is the crab in the pretzel? Kind of like the stuffed pizza crust?
$11 is pretty pricey. Out here (AZ) there are some places that advertise Maryland Crab Cakes and they sure are not. Never had a crab cake in MD that had veggies in it, yuck. One place isn't half bad and seems to have good meat but I don't think it has the Old Bay seasoning.

..............................................................................................Pete's reply: That's why as a transplanted Marylander, you are required by law to carry your own Old Bay whereever you go. It's even great on tacos....The crab pretzel is not like stuffed crust on a pizza. The crab dip is spread over it (and stuffed into the gaps in it and then it's braised so it has a crispy crust. I expected it to be a little bigger, but it was tasty. Comes with Old Bay chips.

There's a few other things Dave could do. He's not responsible for Wigginton being on the club but he could sure play Salazar over him at this point. And obviously they could both play if Markakis gets his first day off this year. And he could ride out the first mini warm spell of the new catcher and play him over Zaun. And/or he could pinch hit for the two weakest hitters on the team down three runs in the 9th. Its odd that Trembley was putting on a hit and run every other inning a couple weeks back, and lately not a single sign is emitted from the dugout. I think he only gives signs on Wednesdays now

The O's are not a good team. This is no big secret. There are just not enough good solid consistent performers on this team. And all we're seeing now is what happens to pretty bad teams when the one or two players that must do well don't do so well. It's not that tough to figure out. Maybe in a couple of years the team becomes pretty solid 1-9, with a decent and still developing pitching staff. Until then, it's same as it ever was.
Anybody who really thinks next year will be a heck of a lot different raise your hand. Better yet, buy your season ticket.

Olson and Guillermo Quiroz….. I was at that game tonight and I looked like the kid in Troll 2…..
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh myyyyy god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyophYBP_w4

I am still going to the game tomorrow to get a floppy hat and eat the crab pretzel that Pete mentioned but if the game gets too pathetic im gonna run to my car and bail.

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Pete's reply: I never realized Garrett was in that movie. Great post.

The ultimate indignity happened as we got shut down by Garret Olson. We tried for 3 years to get him to pitch a game similar to the one he pitched against us. Humiliation at its absolute worst.

Pete,why is it that Trembley absolutely refuses to bunt in almost every situation?We have 5 sacrificesall year and have given up three runsso far tonight if we hadgotten the runner in scoring position.Last night the first two guys get on and Markakis ,who is struggling,has a perfect chance to bunt and instead we end up with no rins because after he flies out,Branyan is holding the runner otherwise the ball Huff hits is a 2 run doubleand much worse in the 5th I believe Andino is up with no outs and a man on first and strikes out with no attempt to bunt,and Roberts gets a hit the next time up.Today in the 4th Wigginton gets up and Zaun gets lucky that the umpire blew the call,but if he had sucessfully bunted,we would have had two runs.Sorry then I have to hear that he has ni intentions of moving Melvin Mora who hasn't driven in a run in 22 games out of the 5th spot.Then he starts the Sunday lineup tonight after Weiters has 2 2 hit games.Sorry Pete,but more and more ,the man convinces me he is clueless as a major league manager.

They had Olson on the ropes, but time and time again, they didn't put him away. This is the theme of the season, as I've lost count of how many times the O's could've knocked a pitcher out early if they just showed some patience.

Any reason why Wiggy is still getting a lot of ABs while Oscar is on the bench? If he doesn't show any discipline at the plate, he might not hit .220 for the year.

Pete, I know when Ty was signed, a lot of us thought he was a steal and also insurance if the O's traded or didn't sign Huff and Mora, but you don't think the O's would give this guy 1B or 3B? He is awful!

Olson and Q were just the beginning. From here on out Ol man Angelos will be visited by ghosts of bad Orioles past and haunt him every night until he sells the team to Cal.

On a unrelated note,just read the article and am shocked that no mention was made of the flagrant Kobe Bryant elbow thrown with the score tied and the game on the line during overtime.As bad as the officials have been all year in baseball,this might be the worst group of officials I have ever seen.Too have these guys missing calls ofthat magnitude in both overtime games is egregious, to say the least.You'll never convince me that Rod Stern doesn't want Los Angeles to win the Finals and his instructed his pinstripes to do everything to make that possible.Who knows,maybe he bet on the Lakers?

People are asking whyTrembley didn't use Wieters, Huff or Salazar to pinch hit last night. The answer is simple, why jepordize losing the last game of a series?

Speaking of the post-game, did anyone ask Trembley why he led off the bottom of the 9th with Zaun (aka Mr. Mendoza)? Even if he wanted to completely rest Wieters, he could have hit Huff. The only way he would've needed Wieters is if the game went into extra innings. And I wouldnt have minded disturbing Wieters' rest for that.

This is getting really old. Will this team ever score more than 3 runs in a game? How can so many hitters be in
such a long slump, all at the same time? I really can't remember ever seeing a run like this before. The Orioles never cease to amaze me.

This gigantic offensive choke-job is unbelievable!! I hope you're right, Pete, about them snapping out of it soon. Last night, they FINALLY had a pitcher who was willing to help them up out of the hole, but they said "no thanks". Swinging at bad balls, not taking enough pitches, it's ridiculous! I don't want to hear a WORD of criticism towards Guthrie or ANY of the pitchers until these chokers start hitting the ball again and giving the pitchers a CHANCE!!

why, why, why did zaun bat in the ninth? why, peter, why?

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Pete's reply: I can't answer that.

Pete's Guarantee Noted... we shall see.

Orioles need to send the Nationals flowers for being MLB's worst team, because otherwise that fine accomplishment would fall on the black and orange. If there was EVER an incentive to get your act together, I would think that being the worst AL team and 2nd worst MLB team (record-wise) would be it. But hey, if millions upon millions don't do it....

"I would think the rain hurt him,'' said Trembley. "That's easy to say because he gave up those three runs after the delay."

What a cliche response. The 27 minute rain delay very easily could have been a long inning where the Orioles scored 9 runs. If you can't remain focused and ready for 27 minutes, you have an issue.

What do you expect from the worst owner in baseball,,,,,,,,,,you know what flows downhill,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

While the kneejerk reaction given Koji's performance is to send him to the bullpen, you have to wonder, how would that work? Wouldn't a bullpen role be MORE demanding than starting since he might be called upon several days in a row? Or are we saying we'd only use him once a week for two innings? Think THAT would work? Not likely. His problem isn't endurance, it's fragility. I remember in one spring training game he went six innings, so it is possible for him to make it that far, but if he pulls a hamstring everytime he runs to first, well, there it is. Shame, as when he's on, his pitches are pretty unhittable. As for the Trembley scenario, I'm beginning to wonder if he'll be the manager next year. He does seem to do some rather...odd things. Not pinch hitting for Zaun? His penchant for leaving pitchers in too long? The continued problems our players seem to have with keeping their focus/concentration in games, making Little League bonehead baserunning blunders...and just overall lack of motivation. When I read Adam Jones say, well, there's a 162 games, I'm like...gee, do you think you could be a bit more firedup about what's going on? Sorry, but getting the team to work as a cohesive unit and to truly give a damn about what's going on in the game is the MANAGER's job. If he's not doing that, he's not managing which means we need to see if Earl Weaver will come out of retirement...please.

I think the answer to all of this is simple, we were actually scoring more runs before Wieters was called up (although I believe he will be just fine). And the lineup seemed to perform better with felix pie (hard to believe). Maybe he brought a spark to everyone else.

Is it true that after the game Garrett Olson said, "I'm glad the Orioles traded me; now I have a team I can beat."?

And if not, why didn't he?